During the first 12 months of her life, your baby will develop from barely lifting her head to wriggling, rolling, reaching, crawling and pulling herself up to a standing position.
These safety tips and create a safer home for your baby.
Safety in the car
An adult lap is not safe when travelling. Your baby should travel in a car seat from the very first car ride following birth.
Buy a car seat that fits correctly in your car and follow the manufacturers' instructions for use.
Always use your child's car seat, even for short trips.
Use the correct car seat for your child's weight. Never leave your baby alone in the car, even for a minute.
Falls
Most accidents at nappy changing time happen when the baby falls off the changing unit or raised surface.
Babies can roll off changing tables or beds. Have everything you need to use close by when changing your baby.
Use safety gates at stairways and at open doors with steps.
Never leave your baby alone on any high surface (bed, chair, high chair, table).
While carrying baby, take care that you don't fall.
Burns
A burn takes a second to occur, but a lifetime to overcome and can leave permanent scars.
Always fill the bath with the cold water first and then add hot water. Test the temperature.
Put hot drinks well out of reach of grabbing hands. A cup of tea could scar for life. Don't hold your baby and a hot drink at the same time.
Put tablecloths away, they can be pulled. Use placemats instead.
Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove and where possible use the back plates of your stove.
Always test the temperature of food and drinks. Be careful if you heat food in the microwave oven, it could be very hot.
Keep candles, paraffin stoves and heaters well away from baby.
All fires should be properly guarded.
Place kettle cords out of baby's reach.
Electricity
Electrical outlets, appliances and cords can be hazardous for your baby.
Don't use an electrical blanket for your baby.
Cover unused electrical outlets or sockets with safety plugs. Keep appliances unplugged when not in use.
Replace frayed electrical cords and keep cords out of your baby's reach.
Choking and suffocation
Small children put everything into their mouths.
Always stay with your baby at meal times or when eating or drinking.
Keep small objects such as buttons, beads, coins, peanuts and balloons out of reach.
Never use drawstrings or ribbons that tie tightly around the head or necklines, they can easily pull tight.
Remove bib before baby goes to sleep.
Poisoning
Most poisoning accidents occur to children under five years. They like to put everything into their mouths, but they don't know the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous substances.
Lock dangerous items such as medicines, cleaners, bleaches and paraffin out of baby's reach. Use child safety latches on cupboards if locks are not available.
Buy dangerous or poisonous substances in child-resistant packaging if available.
Use child safety caps on containers with paraffin.
Keep products in their original containers if possible.
Reclose dangerous products properly when not in use.
If you think your baby has swallowed something poisonous, phone your Poisons Information Centre if possible.
Beware of poisonous plants in the garden.
Drowning
Small children can drown in as little as four centimetres of water.
Never leave small children unattended near any of the following:
* swimming pools/baby pools
* toilets
* baths
* nappy buckets
* fish ponds
Never leave baby alone in the bath, even if she can sit up.
Empty water from baths or buckets when not in use.
Use non-slip bath mats to prevent baby from slipping.
Fence all swimming pools and use a pool net for safety.
Baby walkers
Baby walkers are not always safe and can cause a lot of accidents.
Baby walkers let babies move very fast and make them difficult to supervise.
Babies are injured by falling and reaching dangerous things such as stoves, plugs and stairs.
Bouncing cradles
Accidents happen when a cradle falls off a raised surface or if baby falls out.
Never put a cradle on a work surface or table, even a small baby can bounce and the cradle might fall off.
Always fasten safety straps.
Stop using cradle once baby can sit up or make vigorous movements or reaches 7kg.
Prams and high chairs
Baby can fall out if not properly secured. Make sure the pram has brakes that work.
Always use a harness (safety straps) in high chairs and prams. They should not have sharp edges or finger traps.
Never leave your baby alone in a pram or high chair.
Toys
Baby can choke on small toys. Check safety messages on packaging like a recommended age.
Keep toys for older children away from younger ones.
Always remove plastic coverings. Throw broken toys away and tidy-up all toys.
Dummies
Accidents can happen when baby chokes on a piece of dummy or teat.
Check dummies and teats regularly for holes and tears.
Dummies and teethers should not be hung around a baby's neck on a cord or string, as they can strangle themselves.
Use a safe strong dummy that won't come apart.
Safe babysitting
Know your baby-sitters well. They must know where and how to contact you as well as the emergency services when necessary.
First aid
It is important to learn first aid. Resuscitation is a skill every parent or childminder should have. - CAPFSA